Musashi's Dokkodo (The Way of Walking Alone)

Teacher:
I wish Musashi had used the term “see” instead of “accept.” This
simple change would make this precept into a statement that I could
get 100% behind and say, “Yes, this is great advice.”
However, in our culture the idea of simply accepting things as they
are is not always considered a good thing. For example, if the local,
State, or Federal Government makes a law that has a powerful
negative impact on us personally, then advice like this becomes hard
to take. In our culture we are supposed to remind the politicians that
they work for us, not the other way around. Grassroots activism
would never have accomplished anything if this mindset of accepting
everything just the way it is were widespread. There is still that fine
line of not wanting to be a busybody, but I think the point is still clear.
Nevertheless, we can still ask the question of context. Did Musashi
mean accept everything?
My instinct says no.
He wrote this for his number one student, and as such certain things
were probably foregone conclusions or points that did not need to be
stated explicitly. I feel confident in this assumption because between
myself and my longtime students, often things happen that seem like
telepathy, but it is more truthfully a relationship that has reached a
maturity where words are not necessary for full communication. A
quick nod in the direction of some equipment in the room and the
student who has been there for years will understand it to mean, “Go
get that.” The unspoken statement in that question is surmised from
the context of the lesson. I don’t need to tell them precisely which
piece of equipment to bring, because they already know what I am
asking for. They have been around long enough to be able to add

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two and two together. To a beginner, it may seem like a superpower,
but it is just relationship.
We could and should assume the same holds true here. Not every
detail needed to be spelled out.
In the example above regarding the political situation I described,
simple acceptance is hard to do. But in a different context, say that
of a self-defense situation, denial of circumstances or actions can be
a very big problem. When things are about to go physical, you had
better be seeing the situation as it is, and not as you think it should
be.
When a person allows “why?” questions to roll through his or her
mind, they are not acting in their own best interest. Why the guy is
about to hit you is largely irrelevant when he is actually in the act of
hitting you. It does not even compare in terms of importance to the
fact that he is in the process of hitting you. Thoughts of “he wouldn’t
dare hit/stab/shoot me” are also a denial of facts and are very clear
examples of not accepting things as they really are.
A step down the ladder is when we not only do not accept what is,
but create a fantasy of what should be and conduct ourselves as if
this is how the world works. The more you allow yourself to live in
the fantasy world of how things should be, the less aware you are of
what is really going on in the world that is. To me, that is the lesson
here. It is easy to color a situation with our own biases.
There is a phenomenon called confirmation bias, and it is the act of
mentally taking note of and remembering only those bits of
information that confirm our preconceived notions. Information that is
conflicting with what we already believe is ignored so quickly that
one could even say it happens without thought. Confirmation bias is
a real problem because we do not even know that we do it.
For me then, this precept makes more sense if read as, “See
everything just the way it is.” Do not cloud things with your personal
biases or foregone conclusions. See things the way they really are,
without judgment, without the pursuit of a desired end, and without

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games. See things the way that they really are so that you can
conduct yourself accordingly. You will be happier, safer, and probably
end up surrounded by people who love you and love being around
you.
It’s a win-win!